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Chief operations engineer Mark Gillan: “Tyre management is fundamental. The tyres are the number one item on the car, followed by aero and then engine. But understanding the tyres and managing the tyres is the key to unlocking race performance. Qualifying as well, but of particular performance in race.”

Mr Corbyn’s motion said: “This House is astonished that the Bahrain Formula One race is going ahead despite huge concerns over abuse of human rights expressed by Amnesty International and others. It notes that a trial is continuing of 52 medical professionals who tried to help victims of the suppression of protests. It believes that the Formula One race will be used by the Bahrain government as an endorsement of its policies of suppression of dissent. And it accordingly calls for its cancellation.”

“The All Party Parliamentary Group for Democracy in Bahrain has also written to key Formula One sponsors, including Sony, Vodafone, Shell, Red Bull and Mercedes-Benz, demanding that they withdraw their support.”

“There will be protests over the weekend. But we want to make this a sporting event not a security event. The man who is heading the security said he wanted security to be felt but not seen. And I applaud that.”

Nabeel Rajab of Bahrain’s Centre for Human Rights: “We’re protesting to show anger at Formula 1 for conducting the race here. People see Formula 1 as representing these dictators, and it is not good, not even for Formula 1. The ruling regime should be punished and not rewarded with Formula 1.”

“Last weekend in Shanghai an ex-F1 driver I respect a great deal told me to ‘be careful’ and ‘back off’ on my Bahrain tweeting. Although like many F1 VIPs he is on good terms with the Bahraini royal family, there was nothing sinister in his message ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ he was trying to do me a favour, and I guess protect me from any potential backlash from whoever might be monitoring what the media has been saying about the Bahrain GP.”

“Ecclestone said Mercedes was ‘very important’ for F1 but noted that the German carmaker is only in its third season racing under its own name. ‘And they have not won the world championship yet’ he said. […] ‘I don’t see much history in this team,’ Ecclestone told the magazine.”

“At the threaded outer part of the hub, the wheel retention system is removed. This is a sprung clip that flicks in\out as the wheel nut passes over it during wheel changes. The clip will retain the nut as required by the regulation, should the wheel nut not be tightened sufficiently.”

“I’m still not 100 per cent behind the steering wheel. I was just in a meeting saying I wanted to change the grip on my steering wheel. I?óÔé¼Ôäóm still racing Tony [Kanaan]’s wheel, which is a bit too big for me. I want it smaller. And I’m still racing with my ear plugs from Williams because mine are not ready. It’s a process and when it all comes together I hope that I’m better.”

“With the MP4-27 the class act of the field this season, and Hamilton seemingly back to his best, surely it’s time for the 2008 world champion to repay McLaren’s faith and sign on the dotted line to end any lingering speculation?”

“Irish Formula One fans will be able to see the Caterham team in action on the streets of their capital later this year after Tony Fernandes?óÔé¼Ôäó squad were confirmed for June?óÔé¼Ôäós Bavaria City Racing event in Dublin.”

Comment of the day

The safety issue is an important one, but I believe the bigger issue in the long run is the issue of F1?óÔé¼??s reputation because of the decision made by the FIA.

Article 1 of the FIA Statutes states: “The FIA shall refrain from manifesting racial, political or religious discrimination in the course of its activities and from taking any action in this respect.”

The Bahraini royal family is both the circuit owner and the race promoter. There is clearly an internal division in the country, with some of its citizens in the majority feeling their lives under the leadership of a minority king are no longer acceptable. This is not the FIA?óÔé¼Ôäós business.

But the FIA?óÔé¼Ôäós decision to continue with this race, in full knowledge of this internal political conflict is in direct violation of Article 1 because the Bahraini ruling regime is blatantly using this race to bolster the legitimacy of its leadership. “UniF1ed” and “One Country” are overt propaganda.

I cannot believe this is the same organisation that fined the Turkish ASN millions for politicising F1 by using a Turkish-Cypriot official during a podium ceremony. How subtle was that act when compared to the PR assault led by “UniF1ed”?

F1 has no place on either side of this issue. And by not acting decisively to steer clear of this mess, Jean Todt has demonstrated extremely poor leadership. One got a strong sense that he was trying to find reasons to let the race occur, instead of focusing on what was right for F1.Mark

I fully respect and understand the opinions against the race.

I have a different view because of several reasons. First, yes it is right that F1 does make a political statement by going to Bahrain even if it doesn?óÔé¼Ôäót want to do so. It more or less helps the current regime.

However, not racing in Bahrain because of the ongoing human rights violations would be a political statement, too. It would help the opposition. While at the moment it seems the right thing to do, it is impossible to predict the possible consequences. What if, as a result, a revolution happened and radical Islamists came to power? I don?óÔé¼Ôäót think this is a totally unreal scenario. Fight for democracy and human rights often isn?óÔé¼Ôäót just that, particularly in Arab countries.

The problem is that governments and probably also people in countries like Bahrain, China, UAE, India etc. have different values and different understanding of what is right and what is wrong. For example, China still execute a lot of people each year ?óÔé¼ÔÇ£ maybe only dangerous criminals are executed but, in totalitarian regimes, you cannot be sure about that.

Tortures in Bahrain have been widely reported already before 2011. Terrible as it may sound, the governments of these states often torture and kill their people because these things in these countries aren?óÔé¼Ôäót considered as unacceptable as they are in Western democracies.

FIA and FOM knew all this when they decided to go to Malaysia, UAE, Singapore, China and Bahrain (because of money) a few years ago and they have never cared about people being tortured, imprisoned and sentenced because of their political views, sexuality or whatever.

If they had decided to call Bahrain off just because of pressure from fans, media and human rights activists, then that would be just showing off, without a true intention to change their attitudes.Girts

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60 comments on ‘Tyres the number one item on the car in 2012′ – Williams

The MPs are too late. if the British government officially called for a cancellation sooner it might have had an effect, but making a statement now is pointless. everyone is already in the country by now.

And if you remember, one of Bernie’s “arguments” for going ahead was that there was no official political warning advising not to go.

Keith posted a story in the round-up a few weeks ago where an MP said that the government had no power to stop the race from taking place at all. A member of the public had appealed to the House of Commons to try and get the race cancelled, but the MP in question said that because Formula 1 is not a British insitution and because the race is not taking place in Britain, there was nothing that they could say or do to stop the race from going ahead. It would be a bit like you or me trying to influence foreign policy in Moldova.

That video from Jarama is unbelievable. A giant fireball erupts from the cars, they’re strewn all over the track, yet the cars keep coming. A fire marshal is standing next to the racing line spraying water on the fire through traffic, yet the cars keep coming. They’re swerving to avoid the fire, sliding on the water and nearly off the track, and still the race continues. That era was incredibly dangerous. I can’t believe that actually happened.